The struggles of the New England Patriots defense in 2020, which finished 26th in the NFL in Defense-adjusted Value Over Average or DVOA, can’t be laid solely on the presence or absence of any one player.
The team itself seemed to acknowledge that by shoring up multiple spots on the defensive side this offseason, including signing outside linebackers Matthew Judon and ex-Patriot Kyle Van Noy, adding Davon Godchaux and second-round pick Christian Barmore to the defensive line, and signing defensive back Jalen Mills for depth in the secondary.
But the return of inside linebacker Dont’a Hightower, who opted out of last season, has the potential to be the biggest move of all.